America is the greatest country on earth, the font and spiritual bastion of freedom, equality, prosperity. Leading the way, torch held high....

Did you know that in 1841 (note the date), Russia, France, Prussia, Austria and Great Britain signed the Treaty of London abolishing slavery? Question: which major slave holding country is absent from this list?

In 1901, Sweden gave women 4 weeks maternity leave (FMLA passed 1993).

1917 Russia, and in 1918 Austria, Germany, United Kingdom granted women the right to vote. The US it was 1920.

1947 equal pay and maternity pay. Guess which country (hint: not the United States). That same country was the first to pass laws protecting gays in social services, inheritance and taxes, and in 1995 recognized same sex civil unions and domestic partnerships (joined a few years later by other countries).

America is exceptional, all right. Leading from behind.